Blog Tag: nova-scotia-virtual-tours

It seemed I woke every hour on the hour last night anticipating the Halifax Entrepeneur Expo today at the World Trade Center in Halifax. My Nova Scotia Virtual Tour Company was going to be there and would be looking forward to several main stage speakers such as Gair Maxwell owner of The Seamless Brand and author of “Nuts, Bolts, and a Few Loose Screws” (I obtained an autographed copy!) Robert Steele President and CEO of Capital Corporation in Newfoundland and Owner of The Steele Auto Group and keynote speaker Richard St. John. A self made millionaire from Halifax and author of “The 8 Traits Successful People Have in Common”. It promised to be an exciting day.

Gair Maxwell was the perfect choice to kick things off with his energizing and unconventional insight and approach to Brands. Maybe it was because it was first thing in the morning, and I was fresh and eager, but his speach impacted the most and his personal words to me will change the focus and way I conduct my future virtual tour business.

Gair said this: A brand is not a logo, nor a tagline nor an advertising strategy. A brand is a story embedded in the mind of the market. It is intangible. To illlustrate his point he showed the photo of the cool Mac guy and the geek pc guy. The story? Buy a Mac and you will be cool. Branding is the tangible process of creating signals that trigger feelings. Great brands trigger an emotional response. He explained that you will get lost in the sea of service providers if you fail to offer a product or service that is remarkable, worth talking about and worth sharing. His analogy: in field after field of brown cows it would take a purple cow to be noticed. He called it Purple Cow status. Being remarkable. Different. Maybe, a little unconventional.

He said that boring, flat and dull was risky business. He encouraged us to build trust, a raport, a buddy-buddy relationship with our clients. He discussed ad campaigns that satisfied each of the senses: sight, touch, smell, sound and taste. He said an ad campaign was successful if you either loved it or hated it. That indifference was not a good thing and there was no middle ground. He encouraged us to be concentrated and grounded on principles that will always exist.

And finally almost comfortingly, he said the 5 year business plan is a thing of the past. As long as you can see 200m in front of you, you are okay. I can see that far! When he finished I knew. I wanted to be a purple cow!

After the session he made his way to the Tradeshow where I had an opportunity to introduce myself personally. “Hi. My name is Nancy Bain and I want to be a purple cow”. He smiled, I don’t think that was the first time he heard that. “What do you do?” he said. “I offer marketing solutions to Nova Scotia Realtors”, I said. His reply, I will never forget. Ever. “I’m worried for you.” “You will never be a purple cow if you only market to Realtors”.

I had the most profound realisation in the moment. He was right. I had been limiting myself. There is an entire commercial audience, endless possibilities of future virtual tour, text message marketing, and web clients. I was thinking too small! In a few short words, with incredible insight he had defined my largest stumbling block. MYSELF!

You will have to forgive me as I am a little out of practice, but I simply had to try to convey to you my absolute love for you.

I’ll never forget the day we met. I first saw you through the eyes of a fellow RTV provider (Dave Hall, Listing Solutions) and the infatuation began. His enthusiasm and praise for you filled me with wonder and I knew that I had to contact you at my first opportunity.

You were waiting for my call. Anticipating me, and the courtship began. How thorough you were in answering each of my questions. How prompt you were in following up. How patient with me when I felt challenged. How encouraging you were when I needed a push. Your attention was immediate and consistent. And the love affair took root in this Nova Scotia Virtual Tour provider’s heart.

I have so many favorite memories of our short time together. Like the time when someone an hour from me contacted you and wanted to begin a love affair with you too! How faithful you were to me when you not only turned them away but gave them my contact information to become their Nova Scotia virtual tour provider. You earned my trust that day.

And when you mentioned my name and promoted my business on an RTV webinar I was bursting with pride from your public support. I could barely sleep that night. How very very flattering. I want to be wildly successful and make you proud.

Your RTV family has welcomed me with open arms. Several of them contacting me, showing their support, encouraging me and following me. Your RTV family has become my RTV family.

You make me look so good through your Inner Circle Marketing providing me with all the tools for a comprehensive marketing package. You are dedicated and are continually working to come out with even more amazing marketing solutions for me to offer myNova Scotia real estate tour clients. There are days when I feel that I can barely keep up with all that you have to offer.

You are invested in me. And I am invested in you.

A true virtue, you are committed to my success through your time, energy and effort. And I am committed to you.

Commitment is what Transforms the promise into reality. It is the words that speak Boldly of your intentions. And the actions which speak Louder than the words. It is making the time When there is none. Coming through time After time after time, Year after year after year. Commitment is the stuff Character is made of; The power to change The face of things. It is the daily triumph Of integrity over skepticism.

When I say I love you, I mean that I’m committed to working to love you even when it’s hard.